Carl Hagelin, the best brother
by carl62forevera
Summary: It is a chapter story about a girl whose is New York Ranger's forward Carl Hagelin's sister!
1. Chapter 1

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**Chapter 1**

Carl woke up with a headache. He wondered what was going on. At that moment, I, his 16 -year-old sister, came tearing into his room. "Step is here, Carl! He wants to see you", I say, a squeal in my voice. A smile lit Carl's face as he ran a hand through my tangled hair. "You need a shower, squirt. Tell Step I'll be right down", he replied. I hugged him, then raced out of the room. "Step? Carl said he'd be right down", I said, hugging him. Step smiled and picked me up, spinning me around in a circle. Step was what the team and I called him. His real name was Derek Stepan. Yes, you heard right. My best friend is New York Ranger's forward Derek Stepan. Carl and I both love him. When I came to New York with Carl, I was really shy and didn't trust anyone but Carl, our siblings, our parents, and our friends. But, then I met Derek Stepan. He was really nice to me, and in the locker room, when things got too rough or too loud, if Carl was busy, he'd hold me in his lap or take me onto the ice, where I felt safe. I really learned to trust him and eventually, become friends with him. I have other friends in that locker room, but Step is my favorite, next to Carl.

At the moment, we are playing NHL 2010. I'm the Red Wings, and he is the Rangers. I'm winning by one. "Step, stop running into Datsyuk. He's my best player", I complain as one of his players runs my best player into the boards. Step turns to look at me. "Lizzy, you're already kicking my butt. Do you have to beat me even more", he retorts. I smile. "You've won the last three games we've played. Can't I win one for once", I ask. Step shoves my shoulder before sending a Ranger into Datsyuk yet again. "You're going to pay for that", I tease. I steal the puck and send it down the ice, where a Red Wing is waiting. He turns and puts it in the back of the net. I raised my hands over my head and let out a victory yell. I turn towards Step, whose sitting with his head down. A scared look came over my face. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Step? I didn't think you'd over-react to my win", I asked. Step looked up. "I do that every time you or Carl beat me. I'm playing around", he said gently. I nod and crawl into his lap. A few minutes later, I hear Carl's footstep's on the stairs. I shove myself off of Step and run towards my brother, almost knocking him down. Carl smiles and picks me up. "Carl, Step and I played NHL 2010. I won", I say.

Carl nods. "It's about time Step let you win one. I was afraid you were never going to win", he says. I laugh. "Carl, I've known you all my life, and yet, I still love the accent". Step smiles. "You're just saying that to please him. You don't REALLY like it", he says. "She loves it. At practice yesterday, she told me she'd never get tired of listening to it. She promises on my locker room stall", Carl says. Step smirks at me. "She's crazy, but I love her", he says. I smile and raise my arms. Step turns to look at Carl. "What took you so long to come down", he asks. Carl's face turns bright-red. "I was talking to my girlfriend, Erica", he says. I smile and rest my head against his shoulder. "I knew that's what you were doing", I whisper into his ear. Carl looks at me. "How do you always know when I'm talking to Erica", he asks. I think for a minute. "Well, first of all, your face turned red when Step asked you what you were doing. And, I heard you screaming Erica's name when she answered the phone", I reply. Afterwards, we went out to breakfast, which was quite good. We arrived at the rink at around 8:30. As we walked into the locker room, one of Carl's teammates, Brad Richards, looked up from his skates. "Hey, Hags. I was wondering where you were", he said, trying hard not to laugh. Carl smiled. "Richie, I arrive at the same time every day. Lizzy was trying to make me late by making me and Step go out to breakfast", he said, winking at me. Richie looked over at me. "I'm glad you're here, Lizzy. I do a lot better in practice when you're here", he said with a playful smile. I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the compliment, Richie. I just come to practice 'cause Carl is here", I replied. I went over to Richie's locker and gave him a hug. "Are you ready for the big game tonight? Crosby and his Penguins are in town". Richie nodded. "Yes. I'm going to score a hat trick". Carl looked over from his locker. "You're settin' that bar a little too high there, Richie. Why don't you settle for one goal, and if that's not enough, then you can score a hat trick", he said. Richie stood up and set me on the floor. "I'll think about it. Why don't you score a goal? Lizzy would be pleased", he said, one hand on my shoulder.

"Three-on-two! Three-on-two", Coach yelled, pointing. Carl was sitting on the bench, me on his lap. I turned to look at my brother. "I love watching practices. They're fun, and they help me learn so I can amp up my game", I told him. He nodded in agreement. "Yes. When is your next game", he asked. I thought about it. "Tomorrow. Can you make it? Is your next game a road game", I asked him. Carl shook his head. "No. We have the day off. I'll make it. I can ask Erica, Step, Richie if they can make it, too. Would you like that?" I nodded and smiled. A minute later, a familiar feeling shot up in my body. _– I know what this feeling is. I need to say the rosary- _I thought. Carl gave me a nudge with his knee. I slid off his lap and looked into his eyes. A knowing look came over his face, and he nodded. "Go on. You need a break from watching me anyway", he said, shoving my shoulder. I smiled and ran into the locker room. Soon, I was saying the prayer that I had been taught in Bible school four years ago. "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee"…

e...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

After practice, Carl and I called Erica. She agreed to meet us for lunch at Del-Monacos. I bounced in the front seat of Carl's truck. "I haven't seen Erica in forever", I say, a little squeal in my voice. Carl smiled and reached for my hand. "Slow down there, Tiger. I'm just as excited to see her as you are", he said. We pulled in at the same time Erica did. I waited patiently while Carl and Erica greeted each other. Finally, Erica called me over. I flew out of the truck and into her arms. "It's nice to see you", I say. Erica smiled. "I heard from Carl that you were bouncing in your seat the whole way here. I'm not surprised", she said. I smirked at her. "You're mean", I complained.

We walked into the restaurant. Carl picked out a table, near a window. We ordered our drinks (Bud Light, DBA, water). I smiled a little as the waitress handed him his Bud Light. "Carl, you order that every time we go to get something to eat", I say, shaking my head. He smiled at me. "I love this beer. Aren't I allowed to have it", he asked. "Yes, you are. But can't you try something different for once", I replied. "I might. You want some", he asked. I shook my head. "No, I don't want some. I'm not old enough. You have to wait until you're 21 to drink beer. I'm only 16", I replied. Erica shook her head. "Is Carl always teasing you like that", she asked. "Yes. But (I shrugged) I don't care. He's a good brother, even if he is a goofball". We looked at the menus to see what we wanted. I found something that I loved to eat: lasagna. I decided to look through the menu to see if there was anything else that I liked. I spotted something else: chicken caesar salad. I thought about it, then decided I was going to eat healthy today. I put my menu down, looking at Carl and Erica to see if they had decided what they want. Erica had her menu down, but Carl was still looking at his.

I smiled a little. "What", Erica asked. "Every time we go out, Carl is always the last one to decide what he wants to eat", I said, laughing. Erica laughed, while my brother glared at me out of the corner of his eye. He put his menu down. "What are you going with today, Lizzy", he asked. "Something healthy. I'm going with salad. Chicken caesar salad", I said, tilting my head a little. "A burger with fries. Goes good with beer", he said, holding up his own drink. Erica rolled her eyes. "I'm getting something that I think is so good: fish and chips", she said, laughing at the face I'd made. The waitress came back and we ordered our food. I rubbed my eyes. "My eyes are burning, and they really itch", I said. Carl looked at me. "I hope you're not getting pink eye", he said, pulling my hand away. Erica looked at me. "Her eyes are a little red. She could be tired", she said. Carl nodded. "You don't have to go to the game tonight. You can stay home and sleep", he said. I looked up and smiled. "I'm not _that _tired. I'm going to your game", I said.

Our food came. Carl and Erica waited patiently and quietly while I said Grace. We talked and ate. I looked at Carl and couldn't resist teasing him a little. "You should've gotten this, Carl. It's healthy", I said. He looked at me. "I know it's healthy. I'm healthy". I nodded. "I know you're healthy. You're strong, too", I replied. He showed me his arm muscles. I smirked a little. "Eat your food, mister healthy. There will be plenty of time to show your muscles later", Erica said, pointing at his plate. Carl finished his burger. He looked over at me. I was sitting down, looking out the window, one of my legs tucked under me. I had a dreamy look on my face, and my hand cupped my chin. He reached across the table and grabbed my hand. "You okay", he asked me. I looked at him, a confused look on my face. "Yes, Carl. I'm fine", I replied, grinning a little. We paid for our food and left them a tip. Carl looked at his watch. "It's 2:35. You wanna go back to the house", he asked. My eyes lit up. "Yes, I do! We can watch videos from your Michigan days", I said, looking from Erica to Carl. My brother glared at me. "Lizzy, I don't think Erica wants to watch those", he said. "I don't mind, Carl. Besides, you looked good in a Michigan jersey. Especially the Big Chill jersey", Erica said, punching Carl's arm. Carl smiled at her and grabbed her hand. "Are you sure you're not saying that because you don't want to hurt Lizzy's feelings", he asked her. Erica smirked at him. We saw the car and climbed in.

As soon as the door to our house opened, I raced upstairs to say the rosary. It would take about fifteen minutes to say it. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name"… "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee"… "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit"…

While I prayed, Carl and Erica hung out downstairs. From other times that they were by themselves, and I was doing something else, I knew that they didn't get into that much trouble. They were having cokes. "You're so lucky to have a sister like Lizzy. She's one of the funniest people I've ever met", Erica said. "I know. When I held her for the first time, I had a feeling I was holding someone special… and different", Carl replied. Carl's words are true. When I was eight, I was diagnosed with autism. Kids at my old school used to ask me: "How do/did you learn if your learning style was/is different than a teacher's teaching style?" The truth: it wasn't easy. But, that was then. Now, I go to a private school, where there are kids who have the same thing as me or something related to it. I have a lot more friends there, and honestly, school is a lot more fun.

The rosary is complete. I kiss the cross, hang it on a nail on the wall, and run downstairs. "Which game do you want to want to watch first", Carl asks. I smile. "Senior Night. I'm skipping to the end, where your two goals are", I say. I walk to the disk rack, pick out a disk, walk to the TV, and place it in the player. I grab the TV remote and the player remote and sit on the couch and click "Play". The familiar ice of Yost comes onto the screen. I look at Carl, a smile on my face. "You miss it, don't you, Carl", I asked. "Yes. It brings back memories", he said in reply. I let it play. My mind shifts. I'm back at Yost, and the band is playing the Swedish national anthem…

_I hear the notes of something that sounds familiar. I see the band out of the corner of my eye. I turn to the right, where my parents and my brother, Bobbie, are standing. All of them are crying. I frown, wondering what was going on. I pull on Bobbie's sleeve. "Why are you crying? Did something happen", I ask. Bobbie picks me up. "No, nothing bad happened. They're playing our anthem. Carl's anthem", he replied. My eyes grow wide. "Sweden's anthem", I say. He nods, then points to the ice. "Look at Carl", he whispers. I look at the ice. Carl is moving, shifting on his skates. I can't see his face that well, but I can tell from his movements that he is trying to fight back his emotions. My throat tightens up at the sight. I can feel tears forming in my eyes. I swallow hard. My mom is wiping her eyes and my dad is looking at Carl. Finally, the anthem is over. The players start skating. I can see Carl slowing down because he is by our seats. I call his name. He looks up. I can see his eyes moving, from me to Bobbie, from mom to dad, then back to me. I give him a thumbs-up and a smile. He smiles back. We do our special wave, then he smiles at our parents and brother. Then, with another wave, he skates away._

I can feel someone shaking me. I start from my daydream and look around. The Senior Night game is midway through the first period. Carl is looking at me. "What happened? I thought you wanted to watch this", he said to me. I smile a little. "I just had a little daydream about being there on Senior Night. You were trying to fight back your emotions because they were playing the Swedish anthem", I replied. Erica looked surprised. "You could tell that", she asked. I nodded. "Of course. When you see the same people every day, you get used to their habits", I replied. We watched the end of the first and all of the second period. It was the start of the third. I smiled and gave Carl a little nudge on the shoulder. "This is where it gets interesting", I said. He smirked at me, then gave me a tight hug. We watched it. There was three minutes left on the clock. I nudged Carl. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go back in time for a while". I shifted my mind. I was at Yost once again. There was a minute left in the game…

_"Get the puck, Carl", I yell. I'm getting nervous because we are down by one. I didn't like overtime, but tonight was a special night, and I didn't want to lose. So, I chose overtime. Bobbie reaches over and grabs my hand. He is letting me know that he feels the same way. "Shoot it, Carl! Shoot it", I hear my dad yelling. I quickly turned my head back to the ice. A shot is fired from Carl's stick. "Please go in. Please go in", I pled. I see the net move. My eyes move quickly. I see a puck sitting in the goal! I let out a loud scream of triumph and jump up. Tears are coming down my face, but I don't care. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Carl getting mobbed by his teammates. I shift to my right and see Bobbie, mom, and dad hugging. I let out another scream. Bobbie turns and picks me up. I bury my head into his shoulder. He gives mom another hug. "Look at Carl", dad says. I turn my head to look at the ice. Carl's teammates on the bench are attacking him. I know he doesn't care. He pulls away from the mob and turns in our direction. He catches my eye. "I love you", I yell at him, wiping the tears from my face. He smiles at me. He points at his eyes, places a hand over his heart, then points at me. I know what he is saying, and I smile. "Thank you, Carl", I yell. He nods. He does the "I love you" signals at Bobbie, mom, and dad. I smile again. _

I come back to reality. I look at the TV. Overtime has just started. Carl shoves me in the shoulder. "You're going back in time for this, aren't you", he asks me. I nod. "Sorry. It's what happens when I watch something like this", I say. Erica smiles. "Carl doesn't care. I do that sometimes, especially when it's _this _game", she says. Carl rolls his eyes. "I can't believe I'm sitting here with **_two _**silly girls", he says. We watch the first three minutes of overtime. Carl shoves me. "What", I ask. "It's time for you to time-travel", he replies. I nod. My mind shifts again. The overtime is almost over…

_I'm sitting on Bobbie's lap. This overtime has made me nervous. I'm even more nervous now because there hasn't been a goal yet. I shift my position. "That's the third time you've done that in the past ten minutes", Bobbie says. "I know", I say. I look up at the clock. 45 seconds left. "Come on, you guys. Score", I yell. The seconds tick down. I can feel the sweat on my hands now. I watch Carl step onto the ice. "Score, Carl", I yell at the top of my lungs. He receives the puck from his teammate. 7 seconds left. He takes a hard shot. GOAL! I yell at the top of the lungs, my arms raised above my head. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes. "Thank you, Carl! Thank you", I whisper. Bobbie, mom, and dad are hugging. Mom has tears coming down her cheeks. I'm watching the dog pile in the corner. Carl is in there somewhere. It doesn't matter. I'm happy, not just for me, but for all the Seniors this year. I'm most happy for Carl. Not just because he is my brother, but also because he'll be the first Swede ever to graduate from Michigan. Bobbie picks me up and hugs me. "Well, I'm glad that's over", dad says. Mom silently agrees, tears still in her eyes. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

"Watching these games makes me want to go back to Michigan", Carl says. I'm jolted back to reality by those words. Erica smirks at him from over her shoulder. "I love watching you play", I tell him. He hugs me. "You mean when I played for Michigan? Or now", he asks. I stare at him. "Anytime you play, silly boy. At Michigan, it was special. You were a special player. The NHL already had Swedes by the time you came along. But, at Michigan, you were the first Swede ever to play. That's why the fans loved you so much. That's why they held the Swedish flag at home games. And, that's also why they played the Swedish national anthem on Senior Night. I love watching you play now because... it's the NHL. You're a good player. Maybe not a superstar, yet, but you have speed. The flash wearing number 62", I say. Erica turns around from the sink. "Are you giving Carl a motivational speech over there? That's what it sounds like", she asks. I laugh. "No. I'm just telling him why I like to watch him play". Erica studies Carl for a minute. "I think you look better when you wear the blue jersey", she says.

I smile at Erica's words. I knew what she was doing: flirting with him. Carl gives her a look over his shoulder. "Thanks for the compliment, Erica. I like the blue jersey better, too", he says. I climb into his lap and feel his arms go around me. I know: I'm a big girl and shouldn't be sitting in people's laps. But, it makes me feel safe. I'm startled by the sound of my phone ringing. I answer it. "Hello?" "Hi, girl!" My smile and the little happy yell that I do makes Carl know who is on the phone. "Hi, A.J! You haven't called in a long time. What's going on", I ask. "We've won four straight games. Two of them went into overtime. Those two were against Michigan State. We won the other two by two goals. Those were against Michigan Tech". I make a face. "I'm not surprised the Michigan State games went into overtime. It's _always _a fierce fight between the two of you. Did you score any goals in those four games", I ask. "Yes. I got two goals against Michigan State. And I got four goals in the games against Michigan Tech". I smile. "I'm glad you got some goals, A.J. You've had to pick up the pace since Carl left", I say, a little tease in my voice. I hear A.J laughing. "How's Carl doing this year? Has he scored any goals?" "A.J! I think you should know by now that any where Carl goes, he scores. He's doing well. Just to let you know, he still has the speed", I tell my boyfriend. "I'm not surprised. He was the speediest guy on the team. He always kicked my butt in practice". I can see Carl laughing at A.J's comment. "Let me talk to him", Carl says. "Just a minute", I whisper. "So, Lizzy, have you scored any goals this year", A.J asks. "Of course. I've had five two goal games and two hat tricks. I'm the second highest scorer on my team with fifteen goals", I say. "With that speed that you have, which I know you got from Carl, I'm not surprised", A.J replies. I smile a little. "Thanks, A.J. Hey, Carl wants to talk to you. So, I'm going to give him the phone. I miss you. Call me back later, okay?" "Okay. Talk to you later, babe". I smile and hand the phone to Carl.

I look over at the clock. 5:00. I pull on Carl's arm. When I have his attention, I point at the clock. "We have to leave by 5:30, don't we", I ask. "No. Our game isn't until 7:30. We leave at 6", he tells me.

I wander into the kitchen, where Erica is baking. "What are you making", I ask her. She smiles. "I'm making something for Carl. It's something he's been craving for two weeks. Oatmeal cookies", she replies. I smile a little. "Good. Carl will love you for it". Erica smirks. "He loves me already. What you meant to say was, 'He love you more for it'". I help Erica out by getting the ingredients for her. Finally, we have the cookies in the oven. I hear Carl saying bye to A.J. He comes into the kitchen and hands me my phone. "Something smells good. What did you make", he asks. Erica looks at him. "Oatmeal cookies. You've been hungry for them the last two weeks". Carl smiles and hugs her. "Can I have them now", he whines. "No, Carl. They're baking in the oven. If you have a good game tonight, you can have them when the game is over", Erica replies. I smile and hug Carl. "He can have one now. But only one", I say, looking at Carl. Erica frowns. "He's been wanting them for a long time now. You made them just now. It would be awful for him not to have one before he leaves", I say. Erica finally agrees. "They're almost done. Go and get dressed, then you can have one", she says.

Erica and I watch him hurry off. "There's something about him that friends and family are attracted to", I say as Erica takes the cookies out of the oven. "I agree", she says. I pretended to get mad at her. "Not that he's cute", I say. Erica smirks at me. "Well, that is one part of why I got attracted to him", she says. I nod. "I know. But that's not all", I say. "I could think of some other things: he's nice to his siblings, he was the first Swede to play for Michigan, he's funny, he puts people at ease, he's good with kids". "I agree. But girls, fan girls, wouldn't see that. They would like him for two reasons only: he's cute, and he's famous", I state. Erica agrees.

I hear Carl's footsteps on the stairs. Erica and I both turn around. I run towards him. Erica stays where she is. "You look good in a suit", she says, trying not to laugh. Carl glares at her. "Thanks. Can I have one now", he asks. I run out of his arms, grab one, and run back. He smiles and runs a hand through my hair. "Thanks. Jeez, these are good", he says, eyes wide. Erica smiles. "I know you love them. Every time I come over you want me to make them", she says. Carl winks at her. "Is it too much to ask my girlfriend to make me some over her famous oatmeal cookies? I sweat playing hockey just to entertain her", he says.

Right now, I'm sitting in my seats at Madison Square Garden. This is the home of the New York Rangers. The place is beautiful. It's one of, if not the oldest, hockey arena in the U.S. Every time I come here, I get chills. I'm sitting in a legend. I look up at the ceiling. Up there are where the banners of Stanley Cup past and numbers of famous players live. I look at the scoreboard, where the countdown clock is. Twenty-three minutes until game time. Or, as I like to say, until, the players come out to start the game. Warm-ups are finished, and there are no players on the ice. There is enough time for me to go back in time, or have a flashback, to Carl's first NHL goal. I nudge Erica. "I'm going back in time to Carl's first goal in the NHL. Shake me if I don't come back in time for the players to come out, or do it when they're ready to have the players come out", I say. Erica nods and smiles. It was in the second period, and I had a feeling something exciting was going to happen…

_I'm sitting next to my boyfriend, A.J. It's in the second period, and the Rangers are winning one to nothing. "This is going to be the period where Carl gets his first goal", I tell him. A.J smiles. "He has to get his goal __**sometime**__", he agrees. My brother, Carl Hagelin, had his first NHL game two days ago. He'd gotten an assist in that game, but no goal. Now, as I see #62 hit the ice, a feeling of excitement rises in my chest. "Come on, Carl", I yell as my brother flashes by. Both of us rise in our seats. "I can't sit down. It's too good", I tell A.J. He smirks at me. I quickly turn my head back to the ice. I see Carl shoot once, miss, find the puck, and shoot again. GOAL! I jump up and let out a loud scream. A.J and I hug. Tears fill my eyes as I watch Carl celebrate with his teammates. "He finally got it", I exclaim. A.J hugs me. "Yes! He got it", he whispers into my ear. I watch as Carl skates towards the bench. He looks serious, but I know that he's happy on the inside. Carl goes slow as he skates to where we are sitting. He looks up and finds me. I wave at him, smiling a big smile. He waves back. I know people here won't mind if I run down to bottom of the stands for a minute. I do it and press my hands against the glass. "I'm so proud of you, Carl", I yell. He skates to where I am and puts his hands where mine are on the glass. I watch him mouth "I love you" to me. I smile and he smiles back. I hear his teammates yelling at him. I back off and watch him skate slowly. I run up a couple steps, turn, and smile at him before running back to my seat. _

Erica shakes me back to reality. I look at her. She points at the bench. "They'll be coming out soon", she says. I say two "Hail Mary's" and an "Our Father". I've just finished praying when the New York Rangers start to come out. I cheer at each skate that touches the ice. Both Erica and I cheer the loudest when we see #62 come out onto the ice. I hold up my "#62 Forever" sign that I made. Carl skates slowly as he comes to where we are sitting. I point at my sign and smile. He smirks a little, then gives us the thumbs-up. He skates away. I nudge Erica. "The flash wearing the number 62", I say. Erica laughs a little.

The opening face-off has just been won by us. I see a flash of black and white. I manage to spot the number: 87. "Crosby", I whisper to Erica. "Whoever the stars on our team are, they'd better watch out for him. He always tries to go after them", she says. I nod. I turn back to the ice and see a 19 skate by. _–Richie- _I thought. I can see Crosby following him. Richie turns away from Crosby and heads up the ice. I remember Richie's words from practice this morning: "I'm going to score a hat trick". I nudge Erica and whisper Richie's words into her ear. "I hope he does", she says.

I watch as one of our players steals the puck and skates up the ice. He shoots and… HE SCORES! I jump from my seat and pump my fist. I hug Erica. "I couldn't see who the player was. Who was it", I ask. Erica looks at me, surprised. "I'm surprised you didn't see the number. It was Carl", she says. I let out a yell and hold up my sign. I watch as they skate back to the bench and do their thing. Carl passes us, then turns to look at us. I'm smiling like crazy. I point at my sign. "This is for you, Carl", I yell, pointing in his direction. He does his special wave. Erica looks at him. "Nice goal, hot shot", she yells at him. I can see him smirking a little. He heads back to the bench, and play resumes.

Carl turns away from Crosby and sprints up the ice. He can hear Crosby yelling at him from behind. He stops and turns to face the Penguin's captain. "What are you yelling at me for? If you want to catch up with me, why don't you work on your speed a little more", Carl asks. Crosby looks at him. "If we lose this game to you guys , my sister will make sure your sister loses hers", he says. Carl levels his blue eyes at him. Then, he turns and skates away.

There is a break in the action. We are still winning one to nothing. I've been surprised that Crosby hasn't scored any goals yet. Usually, he is tearing up the ice. "Look. Crosby is heading for Carl", I whisper to Erica.

"Why do you keep following me", Carl snaps at Crosby. "I want to know why you're stopping me from scoring, but none of your other teammates are", Crosby replies. Carl smirks. "They have been stopping you. You just haven't noticed", he replies, his eyes flashing dangerously. Crosby skates a little closer. "My sister is leading the league in scoring. What has your sister been doing", he asks. "My sister has been giving her teammates chances to score. She has been using her speed to get assists. She doesn't have the puck every single minute of the game, unlike you and your sister", Carl replies, anger in his voice.

It's the third period, and Carl's goal is still the only goal in the game. I hope Richie can produce some more offence. I can see him on the ice. "Look at Richie. He's trying to get away from Crosby", I say to Erica. "Crosby has been trailing him all game", she replies. Suddenly, Crosby slams Richie into the boards. I wince, hoping and praying that he's okay. "He's fine. Look, he is getting up and is trying to go after Crosby", Erica says. I can see someone holding Richie back. "Can you see who's holding Richie? Whoever it is, he looks to be Carl's size", I say. Erica squints. "No, I don't think that's Carl. It might be Step", she whispers back.

The game is over. Richie got a hat trick, like he promised he would. Rangers won, four to nothing. Erica and I are waiting in the parking lot for Carl, Step, and Richie. I spot them. "Erica, I can see them", I say, pointing. She smiles. Carl is the first one to appear, Step and then Richie follow. I climb out of the truck bed and run towards Carl. "That was a good game, Carl", I say as he picks me up. "Well, Richie told me to get a goal. So I did", was Carl's reply. I hug him, then he puts me down. I run to Richie. "You did it! You scored a hat trick", I exclaim as I jump into his arms. He smiles and spins me around. "You think I wouldn't get a hat trick? I wanted to after Crosby purposely smashed me into the boards", he says. I smile. "Crosby was just being Crosby. He always goes after the other team's best players. That's why you have to watch out for him", I say.

Step came over to our house. I greeted him with a smile and a hug. "Hi, Step", I say. "Carl invited me to your game. Am I allowed to come", he asks. I smirk at him. "Of course. I come to your games. Have you seen me play before", I ask. Step thinks for a minute. "Not in a real game. You practice with us sometimes. I'd say you're almost as fast as Carl is". At that moment, Carl came over. "If Lizzy wants to be as fast as me, she'll have to work pretty hard. I'm the fastest player in the NHL". To some people, he might be bragging. But, I know my brother and I know it to be true. He won the fastest skater competition before the NHL all-star game this year. I shove his shoulder. "Carl, everyone knows that. You've said that to me about 20 times the past two days", I tell him. My brother wraps me in a hug. "Richie and Erica can come to your game", he says. I smile. "Good! You and Erica are the only ones who have seen me in a real game before".

Tonight, before I go to sleep, I think about all the things that happened today. Carl's game, meeting Erica for lunch, saying the rosary twice, going to practice, watching Carl at Michigan. I must say, today was quite busy. And, it was a good day. I kneel next to my bed. "Thank you God for a lovely day. And what was the other I had to say?"…

Carl stays up for a little bit longer. He curls up on the couch with Erica. They're watching **_DREAMER. _** Erica looks up at him. "I love this movie. Isn't it one of Lizzy's favorites", she asks. Carl smiles at her. "Yes. She always cries". Erica rests her head against his shoulder.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

I'm awakened by Carl shaking my shoulder. "Wake up", he says. I blink my eyes and roll over to look at the clock. It's 6 o'clock. "Why are you waking me up so early", I ask, groggy from sleep. He sits on the edge of my bed. "Don't you remember? Mom and Bobbie are coming to stay with us for a few days. Their flight is coming in at seven. We can go to breakfast if you want", he says. I sit up in bed. "I forgot they were coming. Let me change, then we can go", I say. Carl agrees and leaves the room. I open my closet, looking for a good outfit to wear. I decide on jeans, a Michigan hockey t-shirt, and my Michigan sweat-shirt. I go into the bathroom to put my hair up in a ponytail. When that is done, I say the "Hail Mary", the "Our Father", and the "Glory Be".

We arrive at the airport at 6:45. I rest my head against my seat. "I can't wait to taste mom's pancakes again. Bobbie, Helen and dad have probably been eating them every morning", I tell Carl. He smiles a little. "Bobbie just sent me a text. He says he can't wait to see us".

"Hi, mom! Hi, Bobbie". That's my greeting as I run to meet them. Mom hugs me. "Oh my gosh! You've grown since I last saw you. Carl must be feeding and working you well", she says, winking at Carl. "Mom, can we have your pancakes while you're here", I ask. "Yes". I run to Bobbie. He picks me up and hugs me tight. "I've missed watching you play", he says. "Well, you're in luck! I have a game today at seven", I reply. Bobbie smiles. "Answer me truthfully. Has Carl been mean to you?" I laugh. "Not really. He's teased me a couple times, but nothing too mean". Carl smirks and gives Bobbie a look out of the corner of his eye. Every time Bobbie comes over, he always asks that. It's our little joke.

Carl, Bobbie and I are sitting at the table. Mom is making pancakes. I lick my lips. "I've been begging for these ever since you left", I tell her. She smiles. "I know. You and Carl are pancake hogs", she says. Carl and I both glare at her. "When was your last game, Carl", Bobbie asks. Carl points at me. "Lizzy can answer that". "Yes, I can! It was yesterday. We played against the Penguins. Carl got a goal and two assists. We won four to nothing", I say. Bobbie nods. "Good. Pittsburgh is a tough team to play against. How many shots did Crosby and Malkin have?" Carl answered. "Crosby had twelve and Malkin had nine". I shivered. "And not one of them went in", I say. Bobbie smiles. "You don't like Crosby, do you", he asks. "I don't like playing against him. He's a good player. I didn't like it when he snubbed some of the Red Wings players when they won the cup in '09. That was unsportsmanlike", I reply. Carl nodded. Mom set our plates down on the table. "Here are those pancakes you've been begging for", she says to me.

At around 12:30, Step came to visit. I smiled when I saw him. "You're going to be impressed when you watch me play tonight", I tell him. "I know. What's your number?" "My number is 12. Do you know why I wear that number", I reply. Step smiles. "Because Carl wore that number when he played at Michigan", he says. Mom laughs. "She's always looked up to Carl. Now, she wears his number. In the future, she might follow his footsteps of going into the NHL", she says. I smile. "I might, mom. I just might".

Carl drops me off near my locker room. "Good luck. We'll be watching". I smile and hug him. "Thanks, Carl. I won't disappoint". With that, I run off. Carl shakes his head. "I love that kid. She's defiantly plays my style", he says under his breath.

"Alright, Red Hawks. Listen up". That's our coach. I look up. "The team we're playing tonight, the Wolfhounds, have just come off a victory against the Blizzards. They're a tough team. We have to beat them at their own game". I nodded in agreement. "Beat them at their game, and play yours. Who's ready to win?" The whole team shouted. I said a quick "Hail Mary" under my breath. I put my helmet and gloves on. My line mate, Jacqueline Beckett, gave me a nudge in the side. "Who's watching you tonight", she asks. "My two brothers, Carl and Bobbie, Carl's girlfriend, Erica, my mom, Step, and Richie", I reply. Jackie's eyes grow wide. "You're friends with Derek Stepan and Brad Richards", she asks. "Jackie, my brother plays on the Rangers team. Of course I'm friends with them". My other line mate, Odette Black, came and stood in line behind Jackie. "Lizzy, are you ready to kick some butt", she asks. I nod and we fist bump.

Carl stood in the stands, waiting for that 12 on the red and black jersey to come out. Step stood next to him. "Who are they playing today", he asks. "The Wolfhounds. They're fresh off a victory", Carl replies. Just then, Richie reached over and tapped Carl's shoulder. "Hags, I think Crosby's sister plays on this team", he says. Carl's eyes get big. "Oh, no. She's just like her brother. She goes after the team's best players". "Carl, I see Lizzy", Bobbie and Erica yell at the same time.

I stepped out onto the ice. It felt good to be back out here. As I skate my first lap, I see someone on the ice. "That pose looks familiar", I whisper to Odette. "It is familiar. Crosby's younger sister plays on this team", she says. I bite my lip to keep from shouting. I can see her heading towards us, but I keep skating. "Hey, Hagelin, I heard your friend got hit pretty hard by my brother yesterday", she says. "I saw it. I was there. Brad is strong and tough. He could beat your brother in a fight any day", I reply as I skate past her. "Are you sure? He fell pretty hard", she says. I could see the smirk on her face. "All players fall sometimes, including your brother", I shot back. "He falls only once during a season. Does your brother ever fall", she asks. I glare at her. "Sure, he falls. That doesn't mean he's not a good player. If you watched the Skills competition this year, he's the fastest player in the NHL! He could skate two laps while your brother was still on the first", I reply. With that remark, I sprinted off. I slowed because I was passing where Carl and the gang were sitting. I smiled and waved at each one of them. They waved back. I could hear coach calling us and I sprinted back to the bench.

"For this first shift, I want Hagelin, Black, Beckett, Adams and Cole out there", coach says. He turns to me. "I want you to use your speed and keep an eye on Crosby. She tricky like her brother is". "I hear you, coach", I say.

We've just won the opening face-off. I sprint after the puck. I can hear someone skating behind me. I turn quickly, hoping to lose my pursuer. I get the puck from behind the net and skate away. I see Jackie and Odette to my right. "Jackie, puck", I yell as I pass it to her. She gets the puck. I skate to the side of the net. I can see Crosby out of the corner of my eye. I move away, just as Jackie passes the puck to me. I receive the pass and take a shot. GOAL! "Yes", I yell as my line mates swarm me.

"Crosby's sister is going after her", Carl says to Bobbie. Mom shakes her head. "I could see them smack-talking each other during warm-ups". Step gives a yell to Carl's left. "Lizzy just scored! Lizzy just scored", he shouts, pumping his fist. The rest of them jump up, high-fiving and hugging each other. Carl looks at the players as they skate back to the bench. He sees me skating towards my goaltender. He yells my name and I look up. I wave, pump my fist and smile. I hold up one finger. "Number one", Carl yells. I smile and skate back to the bench.

We got back onto the ice for the start of the second period. Little Crosby found me and started yapping. "You may have gotten the first goal of the game, Hagelin, but I'm going to score the last one. A goal that's going to make you lose the game", she said. I glared at her. "People like speed rather than mouth", I retorted. She looked at me, surprised and angry at the same time. "I'm the number one scorer in the league. What are you? 12th?", she shot back. "I'd rather have speed and no goals than have no speed and be at the top of the scoring list. Your brother may score more goals, but my brother has speed and isn't a puck hog. Unlike you and Sidney", I snap as I get ready for the face-off. I knew she was going to be mad, but I didn't care. It was bad enough that big Crosby made fun and trash-talked Carl, but now his sister was doing it to me.

By the end of the second, I'd had two more goals, a hat trick for the game. We were winning, five to two. Little Crosby had no goals and only four shots the whole game. I went into the locker room, quite pleased with the way the game was going. I sat down at my locker and said another "Hail Mary".

The third period began. I had gotten the puck and was skating up the ice with it. I passed it to Odette and continued to skate towards the net. I could see little Crosby skating towards her. I changed my direction and started skating towards them. I managed to bump little Crosby away from Odette, giving my line mate a chance to shoot. She missed, but I was glad to give my line mate a chance. I could feel little Crosby glaring at me. I turn and level my flashing blue eyes at her. She backs off a little, surprised. "I was trying to stop your teammate from scoring", she says. I smirk a little. "I know what you were trying to do. And I was giving her a chance to shoot", I reply. "I think you're being a puck hog tonight. You've got a hat trick already", she says. I shoot her a look. "Getting a hat trick and being a puck hog once in a while is one thing. But, when you're a puck hog every night, as you and your brother are, that's a different story", I respond. She glares at me. I can see the anger in her eyes. I shrugged. "Glare at me all you want. Your team is the one that has to try and come-back", I say before skating away.

Carl is watching this little interaction from the stands. "It looks like every time Lizzy and little Crosby argue, Lizzy always comes out on top", he remarks. Richie smiles. "She knows the right thing to say. It makes little Crosby mad", he says.

The game is over. We've won five to two. I'm skating towards the bench when I feel a tug. I turn and face little Crosby. "What do you want", I ask. "A little explanation as to why your brother went after my brother in last night's game", she replies. "It's hockey. Carl was trying to stop your brother from scoring. He also could have been going after the puck at the same time as your brother was. It's not a big deal", I say. Little Crosby glares at me. "Yes, it is a big deal. Your brother has speed, which my brother doesn't have. I don't want him going after Sidney". "Too bad, Crosby. That's the game of hockey. If you're so concerned, you shouldn't be watching it or playing it", I snap. With that, I turn and skate away.

I meet Carl in the parking lot. "Nice game, squirt. A hat trick and an assist. That's good", he says. Mom, Bobbie, Step, and Richie say the same thing. "By the way, what was that little talk with Crosby's sister all about", Step asks. I tell them the whole conversation. Carl stares at me. "If Sidney Crosby wants speed, he'll have to work at it. That's how I got my speed", he says. Just then, I spot little Crosby coming towards us. I walk over to her. "What now", I ask, gritting my teeth. "Why doesn't your brother become a scorer? That way, my brother can follow him during games and trash-talk him", she asks. My blue eyes flash with anger. "I think your brother trash-talks my brother enough. Why don't you go with your team? I'm hanging out with my family and friends. Tell your brother this: The NHL might like him. But, neither me nor Carl like what he does. He's a good player. But, if he thinks my friends on the Rangers are going to back down just because he follows them during games and trash-talks them, he's wrong. They aren't afraid of him, and neither am I. He can score all he wants. Some kids might look up to him because he is a scorer. But, I look up to my brother. He has speed, and he's not a puck hog", I reply, anger in my eyes and power behind my words. I glare at her one last time, turn, and walk away.

Carl can see it in my face: I'm worn out from the game and from keeping Crosby's sister at bay. He wraps his arms around my shoulders. "Come on, kid. We'll get you home. You can have something to eat, and then you can go to bed", he says. I walk forward a few steps, then stumble and fall to the ground. Carl helps me up. I walk forward again, and the same thing happens. Bobbie picks me up. "She's so tired. I'll just carry her to the car", he says. By the time we get to the car, I'm fast asleep in Bobbie's arms.

Bobbie, Mom, and Carl stay up talking. "How's dad", Carl wants to know. "He's fine. Him and Helen might come next week", Mom replies. "I hope so. I miss them. Lizzy does, too", Carl replies. Bobbie smiles. "You know, that little girl of Helen's has gotten bigger since you and Lizzy last saw her. She's growing up so fast". "Lizzy wants to see her. She loves that kid", Carl says.

"Lizzy can come and babysit. Helen says she can do it any time she wants", Mom says. "She'd like that. Lizzy loves little kids", Carl says.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

It's eight o'clock when I wake up the next morning. Before I get up, I say two "Hail Mary's", an "Our Father" and two "Glory Be (s)". Then, I shower. The warm shower feels good. I get out, put on my robe, and dry my hair. When all that is done, I open my closet to pick out an outfit for the day. I go with jeans, my NY city t-shirt, and my Rangers sweatshirt. I can smell mom's pancakes. I run down the stairs, where Bobbie, Mom and Carl are waiting.

"Morning, sleepyhead", Carl says. I smile. "Good morning, Carl", I reply as I hug him. Bobbie turns in his chair. "That game tired you out yesterday, didn't it"? "Yes. That and trying to keep little Crosby quiet", I say, rubbing my eyes. Mom puts my plate down. "When she came over in the parking lot last night, what did she say", she asks. I tell them everything that was said between us last night. When I'm done, no one says anything for about a minute. Carl shakes his head. "She's doing what her brother was doing to me last game: teasing and making fun of siblings", he says. "What she is doing is bad enough. If you were boys, or played in a tougher league, she might have done something to you during the game", Bobbie states. I eat one of my pancakes before replying. "I'm not worried about her talk. She does that against every team that she plays against. I'm just worried about her scoring during a game", I say.

"Go ahead and get it", Carl says to me. He has just gotten home from practice, so its 10:30. I smile and get one of my favorite Michigan disks, Carl's first game with Michigan with his first goal in collage. I put it in and sit on Carl's lap. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. "I can't believe you have this on disk", Mom exclaims. Carl and I both turn and smile at her. "Of course they have it on disk. It's Carl's first game. Lizzy loves to watch it", Bobbie says, winking at me. I smirk at him. Carl nudges me in the side. "Are you going to go back in time for this", he asks. Mom and Bobbie both stare at him. "Yes, Carl. I _always _go back in time for this", I reply, punching his arm.

Mom and Bobbie have confused looks on their faces. "Sometimes, when we watch a game from my Michigan days, Lizzy goes back, in a daydream, to that particular moment we're watching. She did that three times while we were watching the Senior Night game", Carl explains. Mom and Bobbie nod. "I get it. It's like her memories from that game or moment are showing up in her mind, so she goes back", Mom says. Carl nods. I look at the TV. Ten minutes have passed in the first period. I look Carl in the eye. "I'm going back", I say. Our seats are behind the bench. This was Carl's first game…

_I point Carl out to Bobbie. "There he is, Bobbie! Number 12", I say. Bobbie wraps his arms around my shoulders and whispers something Swedish into my ear. I smile and reply in Swedish. He looks back at the ice. He holds up twelve fingers, then points back at Carl. I know what he's telling me: "Carl is wearing 12". I smile and nod. I look to my left. My mom and dad are sitting down, their eyes moving fast. I tap them on the shoulders. When I have their attention, I hold up twelve fingers, then point at the ice. "Carl. Twelve", I say. Mom says something in Swedish. I reply to her in Swedish. Dad looks over. I show him my twelve fingers. "Carl", I say as I point to my brother. At that moment, Carl looks up at me. I give him a warm smile and hold up one finger. "Number one", I yell as I point at his jersey. He smiles and waves, the special wave that he does just for me… I watch as Carl gets the puck from his teammate and sprints down the center of the ice. "Go, Carl", I yell as I stand up. I watch as he does a move and shoots. GOAL! I jump and down like a little kid. I turn to Bobbie and hug him, tears coming down my cheeks. Out of the corner of my eye, I see mom and dad hugging and pointing at the ice. I turn my head and watch Carl skate back to the bench. Mom and Dad yell at him in Swedish. He turns to look at them. I watch mom blow him kisses and dad air high-five him. Carl smiles and waves at them and Bobbie. Then, he turns his head in my direction. Tears are filling my eyes. Carl taps the twelve on his jersey, then holds up one finger. I know what he is telling me: "#12 is #1". I smile and tap my shirt. There is a picture of Carl and me on it, and underneath the picture it says "Brother and Sister forever". He smiles at that. _

I feel someone shaking me back to reality. I blink my eyes and shake my head. Carl is pointing at the screen. I turn to a sight that makes me smile. It's Carl celebrating his goal. "I remember. It's one of my favorite moments from your Michigan days", I say, hugging my brother. Mom comes back with beers for her, Carl, and Bobbie, and iced tea for me. I sip my tea and feel it run down my throat. I turn to mom. "Do you remember the shirt I had on during this game? It had a picture of Carl and me on it and underneath it says "Brother and Sister Forever"", I ask. "Yes. I remember having it made large so that you could grow into it", she says. I smile. "I still have the shirt. It fits me fine now", I exclaim.

Putting my tea down, I race up to my room to get the shirt. I visit Carl's room also to get the puck that he'd used to score that goal. He has it in a special case, so I bring the case with the puck in it down. I hand mom both the shirt and the case. She takes them and looks them over. She turns to Carl. "I can't believe that after four years, you still have the puck", she says. Carl takes the case from her with a smile. "Mom, I'll always have it. It's a special puck. I've other pucks in cases too", he says. I sit on Bobbie's lap and listen. "What other pucks do you have", Bobbie asks. Carl thinks for a minute. "The puck that I used to score the two goals on Senior night. The puck from the big chill. My first NHL goal puck. The puck from my last goal at Michigan. There is another thing that I have hanging up in my room. (He winks at me as he says this). It's the Swedish flag that I received on Senior Night", he replies. I smile and run into his lap. "I remember you getting that flag. I'm going to have a flashback to that", I say, looking up at Carl. The game was over; the seniors had their flags and were skating around the ice…

_"This is special night for Carl, isn't it", Bobbie whispers into my ear. I smile as I watch my brother and the other seniors skate around the ice. "Not just for Carl. The other seniors, this is their night, too", I reply. I look over the group on the ice. "There's Chad", I say to Bobbie, pointing at one of our senior defensemen. Chad Langlais was one of the toughest defensemen in the CCHA. I'm not talking about in terms of being able to hit. In his four years here, he has barley missed any games. I liked to call him "U of M's Nick Lidstrom". He always smiled when I said that. That's because he knew it was true. He was proud of barley missing games, but he didn't brag about it. Now, as I watched him skate with his flag held high, I was glad he hardly missed games. He didn't score every night, but he was a good puck mover. A nudge from Bobbie broke my train of thought. I looked over at where the seniors were. I watch something happen that made me want to cry and smile at the same time. The fans passed a Swedish flag over the glass to Carl. That little action made my eyes water. I knew that the fans here appreciated him, and that he was a special player, but seeing him get the Swedish flag made me realize just how much he was loved here. "He's special. The fans are sure letting him know that he is loved", Mom says. _

I sigh and rest my head against the couch. Carl looks over at me. "Do you remember what I told you when we were driving home that night", I ask. Mom and Bobbie look at Carl, waiting for him to answer. "Yes. You said: 'You're a special player, Carl. The fans at Yost are never going to forget you. The impact that you've made on this team and on this school is big. Being the first Swede to graduate from that school is not only special, it's an honor. I've known and been with you my whole life, and yet, whenever I look at you, I see someone special. These fans are the same way. They see something special, and they're never going to forget it. The opening for Swedes has just gotten bigger, and it is all because of you. You're special… and you're my brother'".

Mom stares at Carl. "That is a very motivational speech", she says. I reposition myself in Bobbie's lap. "I wanted it to be. Not only is it motivation, it's true", I say. Carl's eyes fill with tears. "Are you sure it's true", he asks. I smile. "Carl, you should know the answer to that question. You know for a fact I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. Even now, as a NHL player, whenever I look at you, I see someone special", I tell him. I can see Carl biting his lip. I walk over to him and give him a hug.

I hear my phone ringing up in my room. I race up to answer it. When I see whose number it is, I smile. "Hi, Chad", I say into the phone. "Hey! I was wondering where you were. You haven't called me in a while, miss I'll-call-often". "I was busy", I retort. I hear Chad snort into the phone. "Sure, you were busy sweet-talking A.J", he says. I roll my eyes. "Quit teasing me! How's your team doing", I ask. "Fine. We're doing better than we were earlier in the year". I smile. "You guys should be doing well. U-of-M did well when they had a good puck-moving defender", I say, teasing. I hear Chad laughing. "I'm surprised Carl hasn't called me yet", he says. "Then, you haven't heard what happened between him and Crosby last game", I reply. I hear him suck in his breath. "What happened?" I tell him about Crosby going after Carl and smack-talking him. I also tell him what went on between me and Crosby's younger sister. There is silence on the other end when I am done. "Tell Carl to be careful the next time the Rangers play them. Crosby could cause trouble. As for you, watch out for Crosby's sister. I'm afraid she could cause big trouble for you", he finally says. I swallow. "Thanks for the advice, Chad. What do you mean 'big trouble'", I ask. "Well, she could find your facebook or twitter and pretend to be you. She could write stuff on there that could make you lose your friends, or your friends could lose their trust in you", he replies. I'm finding it hard to hold back my tears. "Could Crosby do the same thing to Carl", I ask. "Yes, he could. But, I think he would try to take Carl out of the game", Chad replies. I gasp and swallow hard. "He wouldn't do that! The Rangers need Carl out there! They need his speed", I say. "Easy, girl, easy. I didn't mean to make you mad. But, I'm just saying that Crosby could be mean enough to do something like that. It might not, and I'm hoping, it won't happen. But, still…" "You never know what could happen in hockey", I finish for him. We say good-bye and hang up. I sit on my bed for a minute, then I go back downstairs.

I tap Carl on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a minute? In private", I ask. I lead him into the kitchen. I tell him what Chad said. He nervously looks at me. "Crosby might knock me out? Why", he asks. "Maybe because he knows they rely on your speed. Just be careful, okay", I reply. "I'll be careful. I'm more worried about what little Crosby is going to do to you", he says, placing both hands on my shoulders. "I know. I'll be careful", I reply. He wraps me in a hug. "You'd better go check twitter and facebook. She might've put something out already", he says. I run to the computer and fire it up. I check twitter first. I see little Crosby's post: "Like brother, like sister. Both Carl Hagelin and his sister have speed, but they can't score". I bite back a scream as I reply to her post. "We can score. I'm second on my team in scoring. We just don't score as much as you and Sidney do". I run to where Carl and the rest of my family are sitting. I fill Bobbie and Mom in on my conversation with Chad, then tell Carl about the post little Crosby put up. "That's all she said? Well, that's good. I mean, we can score. We just…" "Don't score as much as they do", I finish.

Next, I check facebook. I breathe a sigh of relief when I don't see a post. I check a post from A.J. It's a picture of me standing in front of the Empire State Building. Underneath the picture it says: "While my girlfriends decks out in the Big Apple, I'm stuck in a classroom at college". I smirk and laugh as I type a comment. Carl comes over and reads A.J's post and my comment. He laughs. "Well, A.J better get his butt over here if he wants to deck out in New York". Just then, the ring for text messages goes off on my phone. It's from A.J: "Hey, girl! Didn't tell you this, but my plane lands in New York at two. Can't wait to see you!" I turn to face my brother. "You planned this", I say. "No. I had nothing to do with this." I run to where mom and Bobbie are. I tell them about the text from A.J, then frown. Mom looks at me. "What are you frowning about? I thought you liked it when A.J comes to visit". I chew on my lip. "I do. It's just… not at the same time as you guys are here. He planned to come at a bad time. I don't want to hurt his feelings by not hanging out with him, but family is more important", I say. "How about this: Carl was planning on taking mom and I around the city. You've already seen it. A.J's plane lands at two, right? (I nod in reply.) We're going to be looking for a while. So, during the time we're out, you can hang out here with A.J. Then, when we come back, the four of us can do something together", Bobbie says. "I know A.J has a couple of cousins living here. I bet he's going to want to hang out with them", Carl says. I look over at him. "I'm going to go say the rosary. I'll call him when I am done", I say.

Saying the rosary makes me happy. I feel better and more willing to do things after I say it. After I finish, I dial A.J's number. "Hi, beautiful", he answers. I smile. "A.J, can we talk about your trip here? I love it when you visit, but…" I tell him about having a couple of my family members here. Then, I tell him Bobbie's suggestion. "… And Carl says you have a few cousins living here. When you are done hanging out with me, you can visit them". We discuss some things we can do while he is here. "Carl has a game tomorrow night. We can all go to that", I say. A.J agrees, like I knew he would. We talk for a few more minutes, and then we hang up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

I'm waiting for A.J's plane to land. Carl is laughing because I can't sit still. "Calm down, tiger. The plane isn't going to land any faster if you keep doing that", he says. "I know. I'm just really excited to see him", I reply. Finally, A.J texts us that his plane landed. We drive to where we were to pick him up. A.J is standing there when we arrive. I'm the first one out of the car. I run into my boyfriend's arms. "A.J! I haven't see you in forever", I say, looking my boyfriend in the eye. He is wearing a Michigan sweatshirt and jeans. As always, he is wearing his hat backwards. "You look good in that", I tell him. He smirks at me as he hugs me. He looks at my outfit and smiles. "You could have worn that Michigan jersey I got you", he teases. "I wear that jersey every time you play", I counter. He hugs me again. "Blue is a great color on you", he says, tilting my chin up so that he can see my face. I try not to laugh when I see Carl waving at us. "Come on, mister. Carl is waiting for us", I say, grabbing A.J's hand. He gladly follows me to the car. Carl gives him a hug. "Seeing that sweatshirt makes me want to go back to Michigan", he says in a complaining tone. A.J smirks at Carl as I try not to smile. The two shoot teasing remarks at each other as I say a "Hail Mary" and two "Our Father's".

"It's been too long since your last visit, A.J", I say as we're driving home. My boyfriend smiles and squeezes my hand. "I know. I've just been busy. Do you have a game this week", he asks. "Yes. Mine is on Wednesday. Carl's game is tomorrow", I reply. Carl looks at me in the mirror. I can tell by his face what he wants me to tell A.J. I take a deep breath. "A.J, I haven't told you this yet, but something is going on between Carl and big Crosby, and me and little Crosby…" I tell him everything, including the post I'd seen on twitter that morning and my conversation with Chad. When I am done, there is silence. "You'd better be on your guard, Lizzy. Anything could happen", A.J finally says. I nod. "Have you seen anything posted on twitter or facebook since you checked this morning", Carl asks. "I haven't been on either of them since I checked", I reply. I take out my phone and check twitter first. I read a conversation between Crosby and his sister: Little Crosby 'Have you heard that Carl Hagelin's younger sister has a boyfriend? He's a hockey player'. Older brother: 'No, I haven't heard that. Is he an NHL player'? Little Crosby: 'No, he plays in college at Michigan'. Older Brother: 'What is his name'? Little Crosby: 'A.J Treais. He's a junior'. Older Brother: 'Has he been drafted into the NHL'? Little Crosby: 'No.' Older Brother: 'I figured that. She has a brother in the NHL already. She doesn't need another person that she knows playing in the NHL'. Little Crosby: 'Her _boyfriend _might not be playing in the NHL, but there's a person that used to play for Michigan, the same time older Hagelin was playing, that was drafted by the NHL. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators'. Older Brother: 'Yes, I know who you are talking about. I've read conversations between Hagelin and his friend'. I angrily read the posts out loud. "What?! I can't believe that Crosby would read conversations between me and Louie. That is mean", Carl exclaims, quite angry. I have tears in my eyes, tears of pain, anger, and sadness. I pound the seat with my fist. "I'm so mad! I _hate _the fact that both brother and sister Crosby would do this", I say. "You'd better be on the lookout, Carl. Crosby has been spying on you _and _Louie", A.J warns. Carl looks at him through the rearview mirror. "You be careful too, buddy. He could be spying on conversations between you and Lizzy", he says.

"Do you want to play a game, A.J", I ask, looking into his soft brown eyes. He grabs my hand and smiles. "How about a little later? I just want to talk for now", he answers. I give him a smile as we head for the couch. "Anything you want! You're my guest, after all", I say, tilting my head up at him. We talk about many things. I tell him about seeing the Empire State Building and about going to see the Statue of Liberty. I tell him about MSG and how every time I go inside, I get chills down my spine. "It's like I'm sitting in a legend", I explain. A.J tells me about everything that is going on at home. "Erica had a baby", he says. I sit up straight and squeeze his hand. "Oh, that is wonderful! Was it a boy or a girl?" "A girl. She named her Clementine", A.J replies. Erica Treais is my boyfriend's sister. "Who does she looks more like: Erica or Bradley", I ask. A.J smiles. "I can't say. She has Erica's eyes and mouth. Her nose is exactly like her dad's". He pulls out his phone and pulls up a picture. "That is Clementine", he says, handing me his phone. "Oh! She is so cute", I squeal. A.J smiles as he takes his phone back. "I know. I got to hold her before I left yesterday. She is so quiet. She'll let anybody hold her", he says. We talk about kids for a little longer. Suddenly, I gasp. "A.J, I have to go call one of my friends. She told me she needed to talk to me. Do you mind if I go do that real quick", I ask, wincing a little. A.J places a hand under my chin and gently tilts my head up. "Go ahead. I don't mind", he says. I give him a tight hug before I run up the stairs.

A.J sits as he watches his girlfriend run away. _– I love her. She is one of best things that had ever happened to me. She is so beautiful, every time I look at her, chills run down my spine- _he thinks to himself. Suddenly, his phone goes off. It is a text from one of his best friends and teammate, Lindsey Sparks. "Hey, man. How is it going over there". A.J smirks a little as he sends a text right back. "Good. Lizzy was so happy to see me".

A few minutes later, I come back down the stairs. A.J turns to look at me. "What happened", he asks, looking at my face. "One of my teammates, Jackie, is really upset. Her boyfriend just broke up with her", I reply, shaking my head. A.J takes my hand as I sit down. "Why did he break up with her? She is an amazing person", he asks. "She told me he found another girl. Says that this girl had been stealing looks at him for months", I say. A.J gives me a tight hug. "Invite her over", he says. I stare at him, surprised. "Why? I thought this was our time. I love Jackie, but I wanted some time alone with you". A.J hugs me again. "It is our time. But, when one of your friends is having a breakdown, or is really upset, you need to hang out with her", he says. I sigh and rest my head against his shoulder. He kisses my cheek. "How about this: invite her over. If she says yes, tell her to give us 30 minutes alone. Both of us can set a timer. Tell her to set one, too. When her timer goes off, have her call you". I smile and hug him. "You're so sweet, A.J! I'll go call her right away", I say. He hugs me back. I push myself off of my boyfriend and run up the stairs.

"I'm glad she was happy to see you". That was the text A.J read from his friend, Lindsey. A.J smirks as he replies. "Sure you are! You just like texting me about _my _girlfriend". Two seconds later, it seemed, Lindsey sent a text back. "No I don't, hot shot. She is your girlfriend. I'm just saying, she is cute". "I _know _she is! She is beautiful".

I run to open the door for Jackie half an hour later. I give her a hug. She cries into my shoulder. I lead her to the couch and sit her down. I sit next to her, gently holding her hand in mine. "Jackie, do you mind telling us what happened? I know that he's got some other girl, but tell us the story", I say softly. At once, Jackie pored out the entire story. She was crying when she finished. I held in her in a tight hug, while A.J offered to get drinks for us. "Aw, that's sweet of you! I'll have water and Jackie will have a coke", I reply, looking into my boyfriend's brown eyes. He smirks at me over his shoulder. Jackie looks at me. "Your boyfriend is sweet… and cute", she whispers into my ear. I smile. "How did you meet him", Jackie asks. I blink, surprised. "Jackie, you just lost your boyfriend. It's going to break your heart if I tell you about mine", I say. Jackie shakes her head as A.J hands her drink over. "It will be good for me. I'm interested to hear", she insists. "A.J was Carl's teammate at Michigan. When A.J was a freshman, Carl was a junior. I met him after one of the games. Carl, Erica, Louie and I were walking to our cars. I saw A.J sitting on his truck bed. I walked over. We talked for a while." A.J continued the story. "She came to practice the next day. I invited her over. She agreed, and we met at my apartment. We talked for over two hours". Jackie smiled. "That is usually the way relationships start", she says, teasing me. I glare at her while she and A.J try to hold back their laughter. Suddenly, my phone goes off. It's a text from Carl. "We're stopping at Wendy's. Do you want anything"? I think for a minute. "Yes, a hamburger and fries. No lettuce or tomato". I get a smiley face from Carl.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

Carl comes in with the food, followed by mom and Bobbie. He puts the food down just as I come flying into his arms. He knows that when he is gone, even if only for a few hours, I miss him like anything. He gives me a tight hug, then I hug mom and Bobbie. "So, what did you guys think of NY city", I ask as Carl hands me my meal. Both of them smile. "It is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen! It is so big", Bobbie says. Carl smirks at Bobbie as he takes a bite of his hamburger. "So, the big cities in Sweden aren't good enough for you", he asks in a teasing tone. Bobbie glares at Carl before shoving him in the shoulder. Mom rolls her eyes at the two of them as I try to hide my laughter. I say a "Hail Mary" and an "Our Father" before talking. "Easy, Bobbie. The Rangers can't lose Carl. They need his speed", I say, looking up at my brother. Bobbie smiles at me from over his shoulder. "Can't they lose him for a couple days", he asks. I smirk at him. "No! Who else would get pucks for their line mates so that they can score", I counter. "And, maybe score some goals himself", mom says, getting a look from Carl. "Bobbie can't beat me anyway. I could skate circles around him", Carl adds. Bobbie raises an eyebrow. "Are you challenging me", he asks. Carl smiles. "Tomorrow before practice", he says. "Deal", Bobbie says, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Mom and I look at each other, trying to hide our smiles. "Bobbie, I don't think that is a good idea. Carl is the fastest skater in the NHL", I say. Bobbie smiles a little and shoves me. "I think I know that, squirt. But, I played hockey before he did. I could beat him any day", he says. Carl raises his eyebrows as he puts in plate in the dishwasher. "Have it your way. If I do beat you, don't be surprised", he says, smirking. Bobbie gives Carl a look over his shoulder. I can't help but laugh as Mom and I clean up the table. "The only family member so far who has beaten Carl is me. That's just because he wasn't paying attention to where I was when we were skating", I say, winking at Carl. My NHL playing brother gives me a look. "I was tired that day, squirt. I let you beat me", he retorts. I laugh. "Excuses, excuses. You tried hard to beat me. You just couldn't do it", I shoot back. Carl shoves my shoulder. We pretend to fight, with mom and Bobbie looking on in amusement. I smile at Carl over my shoulder as I go upstairs to get my PJ's on.

I wake up at seven thirty the next morning. No one else is up. I know how to cook pretty well and decide to surprise my family by making them breakfast. I say my prayers, then head downstairs. I look in the fridge and find bacon and sausage. I turn on the stove and get two frying pans out. I separate the pieces of sausage and place them in the pan. Next, I separate the pieces of bacon and place them into the other pan. I set the timer for ten minutes. Next, I make scrambled and boiled eggs. When they are done, I put them on plates and put the plates on the table. I turn over the bacon and sausage. The next thing I do is take the waffles out of the freezer. I put two in the toaster and set the temperate and timer. The timer for the frying meat goes off. I put them on two plates and set the plates onto the table. I set the table while I'm waiting for the first two waffles to be done. The timer for the waffles goes off, and I place them on a plate. I put the next two waffles in. While I wait for them to be done, I do the fruit. I cut two apples up and place them, along with strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, onto another plate. I set that plate on the table just as the toaster dings. I place these waffles on the same plate as the other one. I take the syrup out and put on the table next to the waffles plate. I take a moment to rest and glance and at the clock. Its five minutes to eight. I make the orange juice and pour it into four cups. I place the cups on the table and sink into a chair. I say a few more prayers.

Finally, at around eight fifteen, I hear voices from upstairs. I smile to myself. Carl is the first one to appear, followed by Bobbie and mom. I look up. Mom has her hand clapped over her mouth, looking around the table, while my brothers stare in silent awe. "This looks like a king's meal", Carl says. I laugh. "It is a king's meal, Carl! I don't surprise you that often, nor do I surprise mom and Bobbie. Or dad for that matter. I wanted to surprise you", I reply, looking at my family's faces. Carl runs to my chair, picks me up, and spins me around. Mom and Bobbie sit down, with mom still staring in surprise. Carl sits in the chair right next to mine. He looks at his cup. "I thought we didn't have orange juice", he says, looking at me sideways. I smile at his expression. "We don't. I made it", I reply. Mom takes a sip and licks her lips. "This is better than store-bought juice", she exclaims, looking me in the eyes. Bobbie and Carl take sips of theirs. "This **_is _**good! Why didn't you tell me that you could make this", Carl asks. "I wanted to surprise you. Erica taught me", I say, biting my lip to keep from laughing. Mom, Bobbie and Carl fill their plates and while we eat, little comments come flying at me. "This bacon is good". "The sausage is better than at a restaurant". "I still can't believe you made this by yourself". I am proud that this breakfast is turning out good.

When breakfast is over and the dishes put away, mom hugs me. "Thanks for making that", she says. I smile. "No problem". Carl looks at us from over his shoulder. "Do you guys want to come and watch practice? Bobbie said he'd go". "Sure", mom and I answer at the same time. I race upstairs to change. I wear jeans, my winter boots, my Ranger's jersey, and my school sweatshirt. I put a coat on over all of that and grab my Rangers hat.

Carl leads me into the locker room as mom and Bobbie head towards the stands. "I can't wait to tell Step about your amazing breakfast. He is going to be so mad", Carl says with a little smile as he wraps his arm around my shoulders. I smile at little. "Of course he'll be mad. He hates missing any thing good", I say. We walk into the locker room. Step is sitting at his locker, and Richie is sitting at his. My phone goes off. It's a text from A.J. _Hey, hun! Can't wait to see you tonight. Rangers kick butt. _I smirk a little and send him a reply. Step looks up from his locker. "Hey, little speedster. Got anything up your sleeve for practice today", he asks me. I smile. "Not today, Step. I'm watching from the stands with my mom and Bobbie. How about after practice", I reply. Step smirks at me. "Sure", he says. Richie looks over at us. "Where did you go for breakfast today, Hags", he says. Carl and I look each other and bite our lips to keep from laughing. "I stayed home", my brother replies before telling the two about my cooking. When he is done, Step stares at me. "Aw, I missed it", he complains. I walk over and place my hand on his shoulder. "How about I come over and make you something", I ask. Step looks up at me, his blue eyes lit. "Can you? I want to taste your cooking", he says. I hug him. "I will, as long as you score a goal in the game tonight", I reply. He makes a face at me. "I'll try", he says, a hint of teasing in his voice. I shove his shoulder. "Get out of here", I say, pretending to be hurt. Step smirks at me over his shoulder as he walks out of the locker room. Richie laughs. "Do you have a trick up your sleeve for him", he asks. "Maybe. You'll find that out after practice", I reply. Carl catches the face on my face and groans. "I know that look. She's got mischief in her eyes", he says.

Watching practice always gives me thrills. The team is much more light-hearted than in a real game. I love watching them joke with each other and play little tricks. At the moment, I'm laughing because three of Carl's teammates are shoving him into the boards at the same time. I get a text from A.J. _How's practice going? _I smile and send him a reply. _This practice has been fun to watch… Carl is getting slammed into the boards by three teammates at the moment. _Mom and Bobbie are trying to hold back their laughter. "Does this always happen to Carl", mom asks. "Yeah. Carl is the player on this team who gets the most crap", I reply. I can see Carl shaking his head as he skates away from his laughing teammates. I can't help but smile. Carl is one of the funniest and nicest people I know, and yet, he gets teased the most by his teammates. I didn't understand that, but I shrugged. That's hockey for you. I look over at Bobbie, whose stretching his arms. "Ready to get beaten by Carl", I tease. My brother gives me a glare from the corner of his eye. "No, I'm ready to beat Carl", he replies. I look at mom. I tap her on the shoulder and whisper something into her ear. She nods. "I mean, I don't have to practice with them. This was about family time", I say. "Lizzy, we're having family time. I don't mind. Carl told me I'd be watching this from the bench anyway", she replies, hugging me.

I sit on the edge of the bench. Mom is sitting next to me. My brothers are warming up, and I can hear them yelling at each other.

"You haven't done this in a while, Bobbie", Carl says as he skates behind his brother. Bobbie rolls his eyes. "I know. Doesn't mean I can't win", he replies. Carl smiles. "You could win. I'm warning you, I'm fast", he says. Bobbie smirks at his younger brother over his shoulder. "You've said that about five times the past couple minutes", he complains. Carl smacks his older brother's arm lightly. "That will make six", he says. Bobbie shoves his brother's shoulder. "I know that, smart one", he says, trying to hide a smile. Carl circles around his older brother. "You ready", he asks. Bobbie catches Carl's eye. "Yes, I'm ready".

I smile a little as my brothers do a second lap around the ice. Carl is winning, and Bobbie is skating hard to try and catch him. They skate by the goal and slow down. "Carl wins", I say. Bobbie frowns. "Darn it", he says, shaking his head. Carl and I slap high-fives. "You were close, Bobbie. Carl only beat you by a little bit", I say. Bobbie smirks and sends a swipe at Carl's helmet. "I could have beat him", he says, taking off his helmet and pushing the sweaty hair from his face. Carl smiles at Bobbie's words. "That is true. Only thing is, you didn't", he teases. Bobbie takes another swipe at Carl's helmet. "I know, speedy", he says, shoving Carl. I smile and step onto the ice. Carl smirks at me as I skate around the ice. "Are you going to beat us today, little speedster", he asks. I smile. "I always try to beat you", I reply, skating up to Carl's side and swatting at his arm. My brother rolls his eyes and smacks my helmet. "Sure you do! Doesn't mean you do it every time" he says.

I playfully punch Carl's arm and skate away. I look back, trying to make him follow me. He gives me a knowing smile and skates after me. I sprint away, heading down the length of the ice. I spot Step standing by the bench. I skate up to him and shove his shoulder. He looks at me, surprised. "Who won the contest", he asks. My smile and my glance in Carl's direction tell him the answer. "Bobbie was close. He could've beaten Carl", I say. "But, he didn't", Carl yells from the other end of the ice. "Thanks, Captain Obvious. I know he didn't", I retort. Step elbows me in the side, hard. "If this was a real game, the ref would call a penalty on you", I tease, shoving him back. Step rolls his eyes and skates off to find a puck. He finds one and starts to skate faster. I sprint after him. At the last minute, when he is about to shoot into the empty net, I slide across the ice and poke-check the puck away. I get it and sprint back the other way. Carl is flying behind me, and I know that he is going to catch up to me. I shoot the puck towards the goal. Hank stretches out, but the puck ends up behind him. I yell and pump my fist. Bobbie sends a smile and a thumbs-up in my direction. Step skates up behind me. "Nice shot, little speedster", he says. I smile and turn, playfully shoving him. He stumbles backwards and almost loses his balance. "What was that for", he asks, a little surprise in his voice. "I just felt like doing it. Best friends play and tease each other sometimes, you know", I say, biting my lip to hide my smile. I turn and fly down the ice. I can hear Step skating behind me. "Do you have to go so fast", he complains. I smile at that and turn my head. "No. Would you rather practice with Carl instead", I ask. Step glares at me. "Um, no. I just practiced with him. His speed is worse than yours", he replies. "You mean to play against. You love his speed when there is an actual game going on", I say. When Step looked over at me, he could see the teasing look in my eyes and in my smile. He makes a face at me. "Do you have to tease me all the time", he asks. I smack his arm. "Yes, I do. Best friends tease each other, don't they", I reply, winking at him before I skate away. Step sighs. "That girl is going to be the death of me", he says to Richie. "Whoa, easy buddy. That girl already has a boyfriend", Richie replies. Step rolls his eyes. "I know that, Richie. I'm not dumb". "Who says you were", Carl wants to know. Step gives my brother a look. "Richie did". Carl looks at Richie, amusement on his face. "I'm sure he didn't mean it. You're our best scorer. You can't be dumb", Carl says, the teasing back in his voice. Step gives them glares. "I hate you guys", he complains, pretending to pout. I smile a little. "You're just saying that, Step. You don't really hate us", I say, trying to be serious. My best friend looks over at me, and I can't hide my laughter. Carl and Richie are grinning. Step gives us all looks before skating away. I smirk at his back. "You're crazy, you know that", I call after him. "Hush", he says, sticking his tongue out at me. "Oh, that is so mature, Step", Richie says. Step shakes his head and skates off the ice. Carl, Richie and I have trouble trying not to smile. "I told you he was crazy", I say.


End file.
